WEBVTT NEIGHBORHOOD.MARY: JUST OVER THE FORE RIVERBRIDGE IN WEYMOUTH, A FAMILYPROTEST PROMPTS A CHORUS OF CARHORNS.LOCALS KNOW THE ISSUE, PLANS TOBUILD A MASSIVE COMPRESSORSTATION ON THIS PARCEL OF LANDAT THE FOOT OF THE BRIDGE TOPUSH NATURAL GAS THROUGH APIPELINE TOWARD MAINE ANDCANADA.>> A POLLUTANT OF THIS SIZE ANDSUCH SAFETY CONCERN IN THISAREA LIKE THIS.>> COMPRESSOR STATIONS DO NOTBELONG IN AREA WITH A LOT OFCHILDREN.THIS IS A DENSE, POPULATEDCHILDREN THAT WOULD NOT HAVEBEEN CONSIDERED, THE FACT IT HASGOTTEN THIS FAR IN THE PROCESSIS HORRIFYING.MARY: THE TOWN OF WEYMOUTH HASBEEN FIGHTING HOUSTON BASEDSPECTRA ENERGEY, NOW KNOWN ASENBRIDGE, FOR TWO YEARS.JUST TURNED DOWN A $47 MILLIONOFFER TO DROP THEIR OPPOSITION,AND INSTEAD, SUED FEDERALREGULATORS WHO GREEN-LIGHTED THEPROJECT IN JANURAY.>> I WISH THE STATE WOULD STEPUP AND SOMEONE PUT THEIR FOOTDOWN AND SAY, WE WILL NOT TAKETHIS.MARY: THESE RESIDENTS SAY IT'STIME FOR THE GOVERNOR TO FIND AVOICE.>> HIS ADMINISTRATION HAS AUNIQUE POSITION WHERE THEIRMANAGEMENT COMPLETELY CAN STOPTHIS IN ITS TRACKS.MARY: TONIGHT, AN ENBRIDGESPOKEPERSON TOLD US THECOMPRESSOR FACILITIES AREDESIGNED AND WILL BECONSTRUCTED, OPERATED ANDMAINTAINED TO MEET OR EXCEEDFEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS ANDREGULATIONS.TONIGHT A SPACE -- STATESPOKESMAN SAID IT WILL UP TO THEFENCE WHETHER THIS IS BUILT.THE GOVERNOR IS COMMITTED TODIVERSIFY THE STATE'S ENERGY

Weymouth officials are trying to decide whether to appeal a state Department of Environmental Protection’s issuance of a waterways permit for a proposed compressor station near the Fore River.

Mayor Robert Hedlund said the issuance of the permit to Algonquin Gas Transmission is not surprising.

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“Our legal counsel is looking at what response we should take on the waterway’s license,” he said. “We knew this day would probably be coming. We have been opposing this every step of the way and we knew many of the steps would delay it.”

Wicked Local reports Algonquin Gas Transmission, a subsidiary of Spectra Energy, received a conditional certificate from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Jan. 25 to construct the compressor station.

The conditional certificate requires Algonquin to receive approval for its project plans from the state’s Office of Coastal Zone Management, the DEP and several state environmental agencies.

Hedlund said he believes the DEP issued its permit on the basis of its decision to approve an existing natural gas pipeline and metering station at the site.

“We feel they had an over-reliance on what had been previously been approved,” he said. “The way we interpret their decision is, they see this (compressor) as an extension of an existing project and we disagree with that.”

Weymouth is requesting the DEP to not grant an air quality permit for the compressor station.

Town attorneys previously said Algonquin’s plan to have a natural gas compressor station omits any reference to a second turbine, which would increase the facility horsepower to 10,915, and the DEP should reject the application for an air quality permit.

State law permits the DEP to deny an air quality permit to Algonquin if the agency deems the facility would pose hazards.

A bipartisan group of South Shore lawmakers testified in favor of Weymouth Republican Sen. Patrick O’Connor’s bill seeking to bar the siting of compressor stations - which are used to keep gas flowing through pipelines -- within half a mile of schools, playgrounds and other locations.

During the hearing, O’Connor said compressor stations “emit hazardous chemicals” and the densely populated neighborhood along the Fore River in Weymouth is uniquely unsuited for the sort of facility that is usually constructed in more remote area.

Town officials also allege Calpine broke a state subdivision law that requires local officials to approve the sale of a parcel when a portion of the land is sold to a buyer.

Spectra paid Calpine $13 million for the parcel when it obtained the land on Dec. 2.Hedlund said he is not too hopeful about getting a court ruling in favor of the town.

“That is something that will delay it, but not stop the process,” he said.